Top Secret Mission
by Pharynx
Summary: Baki said:“I have a top secret Srank mission for the three of you.” The man sighed and looked around to make sure that he wasn’t followed. Shikamaru, Temari and Kankurou nodded, Get Gaara a girlfriend... R&R plz
1. the Mission

My first fanfic, be nice.

Don't own, would be nice to do that though.

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Chapter 1: The Mission 

It was only 7 a.m. and to early for him to be up, the sun was extremely bright and warm although it was only January. Shikamaru couldn't get used to the Sand, the weather, the sand and the sand siblings. He had lived there with them for over two years, and he still wasn't used to having sand everywhere, and he really meant everywhere. A gust of wind made him close his eyes and cover his face, if the gust was to hard you could get injured. It was actually Temari that had thought him that, since she was the wind fighter, and also his wife to be. Shikamaru met up with Kankurou outside the Kazakage's huge tower.

"Ohio Shikamaru-san" Kankurou growled as he yawned, he stretched his arms towards the sky.

"Ohio Kankurou-san" Shikamaru answered as they started to walk the stairs up to the conference room that was next to Baki-sensei's office. As they both wondered why Baki-sensei had called them, and to be there so early. The steps seemed to never end, Shikamaru reminded himself that he wasn't made for climbing so high this early in the morning. There they were, the last ten steps soon they would be able to sit down for a while.

Temari was already there, waiting for her brother and future husband, she said:

"Good morning Nii-san, Shikamaru-kun. Shall we get inside to wait for sensei?"

The both men nodded as Temari opened the door to the conference room, she stepped inside and realized that it had a silent wall surrounded them. And as Kankurou walked in Temari took her fan of her back and leaned it against the chair next to her, she sat down and started to hum a melody. Shikamaru yawned.

"Someone is happy today, did I miss something?" Kankurou asked as his eyes landed on Shikamaru that had positioned himself in a chair next to Temari, holding her hand.

Both of them blushed and stared at the brown table in front of them, Temari was giggling.

"Eh, I really don't want to know. Just take good care of my sister Shikamaru-san."

"That he did yesterday." Temari giggled even more when she saw Shikamaru's face turn to a darker shade of the red he already had on his cheeks.

A light knock on the door that Kankurou locked broke the moment, luckily for Shikamaru. Kankurou turned to the door and looked through the peep hole, as the unlocked the door. Baki walked in with a really huge pile of papers. He put the pile on the table as he said:

"I have a top secret S-rank mission for the three of you." The man sighed and looked around to make sure that he wasn't followed.

"As I said it is a top secret mission. And I expect full cooperation from all three of you. When I tell you the mission there will be no turning back, and I mean it. If you don't want this mission, leave now!" All three looked at each other nodded and looked back at Baki, who was waiting.

"Now, the mission is…" he looked around again and continued "Gaara-sama has been depressed for a really long time, and we all want our Kazekage to be happy. As happy as he was when he came home from the chuunin exam, a new man. I don't know what made him happy then, but I'm sure that we could do something. So here goes, the mission is: Get Gaara a potential wife."

Temari stared at him, Kankurou dropped his jaw and Shikamaru sighed:

"This could be troublesome, very, very troublesome."

"What!" Kankurou screamed with his eyes almost popping out of his head.

"And how are we supposed to pull that of with Gaara around everywhere we go?" Temari had regained use of her brain and smirked, this could turn out to be really fun.

"We obviously can't choose a girl from sand so…" Kankurou concluded, as the three sand ninjas turned to face Shikamaru.

"How troublesome" Shikamaru sighed and looked at the large pile of papers that was shoved towards him.

"These are the girls that we all approve of, or rather are single in Konoha. I thought that you could sort them out so you approve them." Baki said almost whispering.

"Eh, okey, I will try my best." Shikamaru said and began looking at the files. They had everything in them, length, weight, age, of course name and birth date. Temari who was sitting next to him leaned closer and looked with him.

"We'll take it one at the time." Shikamaru said as he took up the next paper, looked at it and smiled.

"Hyyga Hinata, defiantly a yes, she is shy. But I think that Gaara might like to be the dominant one." He kept her paper in front of him as he looked further. Throwing away a large pile of papers, then suddenly he smirked.

"Yamanaka Ino, eh, I don't know. She is my old team mate but she can be a little bit annoying at times." He put the paper on top of Hinata's.

He went through some more.

"Inuzuka Hana, nah, to old." Shikamaru said thinking about his friend, Kiba's, older sister.

Looking further more almost at the end he found another one.

"Tenten, I think Neji may kill me but…" he put the paper in front of him. There was a little pile building up in front of him.

The last one, the last paper. Shikamaru smiled, almost giggled.

"I like this one"

Temari and Kankurou looked at each other and then at Shikamaru.

"Haruno Sakura…" was all that he said.

Temari smirked and Kankurou fell of his chair laughing. Sakura and Gaara, that would be a really troublesome couple. But now Baki even smiled and began:

"So now all you have to do is get the girls and talk with the Hokage of course." He sighed. "Then we must find a way to get them here without making him suspicious…"

"Make who suspicious?" Gaara was standing in the doorway, glaring at the four people in the room.

"You are not fun hiding things from. Have you ever had a surprise birthday party?" Shikamaru sighed and smirked. The red haired Kazekage turned around and walked out the door. Everyone took a sigh of relive, when they were sure that he had left.

"How did you think about that?" Baki asked as he smirked only visible on one half of his face, since he had covered the other half.

"Well, I thought that the easiest way to get them all here is to have a party for Gaara's 20th birthday in what 10 days?" Shikamaru answered.

"You are so sexy when you are right." Temari said and pulled Shikamaru into her arms.

"Let's meet here tonight for departure, so we can get back before Nii-chan's birthday." Kankurou declared as Temari began kissing Shikamaru.

"Mhmm" was the answer he got, as both he and Baki ran out the door terrified of what might happen in the conference room only seconds later.

The night had come and Kankurou looked around wondering if Gaara suspected anything and maybe there would be a girl for him too at the party. He was deep in his thoughts when Shikamaru arrived all packed and ready to go.

But where were Temari, she was never late. The men nodded at each other when Kankurou came back from his thoughts. After a short waiting Temari came running.

"I'm sorry, but Gaara came by, he is realty suspicious. We're going to have to be very careful." She said breathing hard after her little run.

"No, probs Nee-san. Let's get going." Kankurou said and started to walk out from the Hidden village of Sand.

'I'm going to miss this place, not the sand of course. But the place…' Shikamaru thought

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A/N: Hope you enjoyed, writing next chap as soon as possible.

Please Review.


	2. the Trip Enter Jiraya and Naruto

Disclaimer: Don't own, too bad…

Chapter 2: the Trip.

As the three jounins Kankurou, Temari and Shikamaru started their journey a wild discussion broke loose. Normally they would be quiet while running, and jumping the branches of the first forest they came by.

"I think it will be the Hyuuga girl…" Temari began and giggled.

"Oh, no! Not her, it will be the Ino girl from Shikamaru-san's old team." Kankurou said with a victorious smirk on his face.

"How troublesome. Neither one of them. I think he will go for Sakura, you know. The pink haired girl from Naruto's team." Shikamaru sighed.

"Were are we going to stay tonight?" Temari suddenly asked.

"Camping?" Shikamaru said and looked at the siblings.

"Nope, that's not a good idea, Temari and tents don't match. After the incident…" Kankurou burst out in laughter.

"Incident?" now Shikamaru was curious, it wasn't often that happened, but when it did it hit hard. "Tell me"

"Eherm." Temari blushed and went past the boys that had stopped, since it was to hard laughing and running at the same time. A faint blush made itself noticed on Shikamaru's cheeks. He didn't want to hurt Temari's feelings but, again the story, he just wanted to hear the story.

"It was when we actually were going to the chuunin exams in Konoha, at night we stopped and slept in the tents. And Temari was in her tent when she had a claustrophobic attack, and couldn't get out. She broke down the tent, ripping out the pins from the ground and started running around." Kankurou laughed so hard he fell down on the ground.

"Well, I'm waiting…" Temari continued "You can make fun of me now."

Shikamaru thought and came up with the diplomatic:

"I'm sorry honey, are you feeling that bad? My poor darling."

Kankurou's eyes were about to pop out of hi head, and dropped his jaw almost to the ground. Shikamaru took Temari's hand in his own and continued:

"There are hot springs on the other side of this forest, near Konoha, do you want to stay there for the night?"

Temari nodded and felt so happy in Shikamaru's care, he made her feel safe and of course loved.

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They reached the hot springs around 4 p.m. and Temari glared at her brother.

"Nii-chan, Hyuuga."

"Nee-san, Ino" Kankurou answered and crossed his arms over his chest, making him look like a three year old.

"Calm down you two, you are troublesome." Shikamaru said as he walked up to the woman behind the counter, and started a conversation with her;

"We would like a room each and access to the springs."

"I'm sorry, we only have two rooms left, is it possible if the gentlemen shared?"

Temari chuckled and said:

"Nah, Shika-kun you remember that last time you shared rooms with my brother?"

"Aah" Shikamaru sighed.

"What?" Kankuro asked.

"You snore" Shikamaru and Temari sighed in unison.

"You could stay in my room, if you want…" Temari continued with a smile and a faint blush making itself visible on her tanned cheeks.

"Thank you, Temari-chan" Shikamaru said and kissed her ever so lightly on her forehead.

Temari turned to the female behind the big wooden counter, nodded that two rooms would be okay.

"I think I'm gonna go and soak for a while. Meet you guys in two hours for dinner?" Temari said as she stretched and reached for the sky.

"Sure thing, nee-san, Shikamaru and I will go soak to. Jan ne!" The men and the woman went their separate ways.

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Temari had changed and were only wearing the obligatory towel around her. She put her tired feet into the water with a sigh of the good feeling that came with the warmth surrounding her aching feet.

Then she head it, a loud mouthed voice, screaming:

"SHIKAMARU!"

Temari knew that she had heard the voice before, thinking of who it might be, she continued listening to the conversation on the other side of the walls. Hearing her beloved talk to the loud mouth.

"So good to see you again! How have you been?" that was Shikamaru's voice, a chill ran down her spine as she smiled, her Shikamaru, he belonged to her and her only.

"I've been training and you know my sensei, so I've gathered information for his new." That voice, who could it be?

"Nah, Naruto, tell your sensei that if he peeks at Temari he's a dead man."

'It was Naruto on the other side of the wall, loudmouthed, blondie with blue eyes, now Temari remembered him, chuunin exams in Konoha. The annoying kid that was first and then he was the one that could stop the ultimate form of Gaara.'

She had no more time to think when the wall between men and women came crashing down, because of a white haired man with a nosebleed, who had climbed up the barrier to peek, the women screamed and ran for the shelter of the dressing room. Temari didn't have time to realize that she was the only one left. She took her fan, still wearing only the towel, charging against the white haired pervert.

No time to think she hit him over the head with her fan closed so it could inflict more close distance damage.

She screamed as she reached him:

"Damn pervert! I'm going to get you for this. Pervert!"

After she hit him about ten times with her closed fan, she realized that Shikamaru, Kankurou and a blond man looked at her with big eyes.

As Kankurou saw his sister looking back he turned his head, repeating to himself:

"I did not want to see my sister like that. I did not want to see my sister like that."

"Hot, hot, hot…" Naruto said as he watched Temari.

"Shut up Naruto, that's my future wife, I hope you understand what I mean" Shikamaru hissed.

"But I accept the compliment on her being hot, 'cause I think so to."

"Yo, Ero-sennin" Naruto screamed "I think the future Mrs Nara could have some privacy? Go on Temari, we'll fix this."

"Thank you Naruto, right?" Temari said carrying her fan on her right shoulder as she walked towards the ladies dressing room.

She turned around and continued:

"By the way Naruto, do you know that pervert?"

"Unfortunately he is my sensei; Ero-sennin, also known as one of the three sannins, Jiraya." Naruto sighed.

"Oh, I understand. And thank you again for cleaning up." Temari went out of eyesight and Jiraya starded to regain contusness again. Kankurou had long gone slipped in to the men's changing room.

Temari closed the door behind her and heard an extremely loud shinobi yell:

"Thousand years of PAIN!"

"Aaaaaaaaaah!" she heard the old pervert scream with all his lungs.

Temari took her clothes and began dressing as she heard the men outside talk.

"He's really out of it. Ero-sennin, that's what you call him right?" Kankurou said.

"Yes, he's always been like that. Sneaky old Ero-sennin. Always getting me into trouble." Naruto sighed and mumbled.

"Temari and you, ne?" Naruto continued.

"How troublesome, yes, ever since I left for the hidden village of Sand." Shikamaru said with a smile.

"You're smiling!" Naruto yelled.

"Eh, well, she does that to me." Shikamaru concluded.

"That's not the only thing she does…" Kankurou smirked and raised an eyebrow.

Shikamaru looked down at the ground with an extreme blush coming over his cheeks. Naruto looked confused as he dragged the old pervert by his

hair in to the dressing room. Jiraya's nosebleed got worse as he obviously understood what Kankurou implied.

"Neh? What?" Naruto said, still confused.

Kankurou and Shikamaru sighed as Jiraya started to giggle.

"He isn't that clever?" Kankurou looked at Shikamaru who nodded.

The guys started to get dressed and Naruto looked at Kankurou and wondered:

"Can I borrow some of your puppet's bandages?"

"What? Sure, what are you going to use them for?" Kankurou asked.

"eeeh, I don't want to dress Ero-sennin, but he'll keep the towel on." Naruto nodded to himself as he bandaged Jiraya so he almost looked like one of the puppet master's puppets, exept for the white hair.

"I'll see you guys tomorrow, and by the way Naruto, are you going to Konoha?"

"Yepp, Tsunade-baa-san wanted us to take a short mission. Something about a top secret sand mission." Naruto said as he threw Jiraya over his right shoulder. Shikamaru and Kankurou fell down on the floor laughing, when Kankurou said between laughs:

"So you… are our sneaky partners… for our… TOP Secret mission." Shikamaru starded to laugh even harder when he realized:

"Dating tips from Jiraya" Kankuou squeeked and tears started to fall down his cheeks (messing up his make-up).

"Ne?" Naruto said and looked even more confused.

"You'll see tomorrow when we meet with the Hokage." Shikamaru chuckled, Kankurou whipped away his tears and started to pull himself together.

"See you tomorrow."

Temari sat on a chair brushing her hair and smiling happily this was the first time that Shikamaru was able to sleep in the same room as her, ever. Sure they had done other things, but not slept a whole night.

"Hello there, sweet thing." Shikamaru said, he was another person when he was alone with Temari.

"Hi, want to sleep soon?" Temari smiled as she asked him that.

"Yes, but I have to write today's report for Baki-san." Shikamaru answered.

"Okay, but I'm going to bed." Temari said and kissed Shikamaru's blushed cheek.

Temari crawled down into the cool sheets. Shikamaru sat down by the desk and started to write, it didn't take long for Kankurou next door to start snoring, loudly. The tired man by the desk sighed:

"How troublesome…"

He turned and started to walk towards the bed, when he realized that Temari was already asleep and almost took up all the bed.

"Troublesome woman" Shikamaru sighed again and laid down beside her. As he drifted of to sleep, he found himself enjoying the warmth of Temari's body next to him. He could get used to this…


	3. EroSennin Hidden Move

Disclaimer: Still don't own Naruto.

Chapter 3: Ero-sennin, Hidden Move.

The four jounins looked at the big gate connecting Konoha to the outside world. Temari and Shikamaru holding hands and smiling at each other and Kankurou walking all spaced-out, thinking. Naruto was carrying the still unconscious sannin over his shoulders, wrapped in bandages, just like Kankurou's puppet. A smile came over Naruto's face when he saw Genma standing as the gatekeeper with Raidou.

"Welcome back, Naruto-san!" Genma screamed and waved at the sametime.

"Thank you Genma-nii-san." Naruto answered with the usual high pitch sceam that only he was able to do.

"Have you started to use puppets!" Raidou asked as they walked through the gates.

"Nope, Ero-sennin" Naruto chuckled.

"Ah, again?" Genma asked trying to be polite and pushing back the laughter in his throat.

"You know Nara Shikamaru? Temari and Kankurou?" Naruto continued.

"Yes, Shikamaru-san. It's very nice to see you again. But the other two, I don't recognize, Temari and Kankurou? Raidou concluded.

"This is the Kazekage's older sister Temari and the Kazekage's older brother Kankurou." Naruto also added:

"Don't make a move on her, she's Shikamaru's."

"I don't belong to anyone." Temari hissed.

"Troublesome woman" Shikamaru said and put his arm around her waist pulling her closer to him, smiling, not smirking.

He pulled her in to a kiss and she didn't struggle, she giggled like a little school girl looking at Shikamaru like he was the sexiest, smartest and most wonderful man in the entire world.

Kankurou gave the two jounins the scroll allowing them to pass though the gates, but they wanted to escort the party to the Hokage tower, Genman and Raidou looked at each other. Both closing their right hands, they counted to three and then it was settled. Genma's rock beat Raidou's scissors, so Genma was the one with the honours of escorting Kankurou, Temari, Shikamaru, Naruto and the still unconscious Jiraya to Hokage Tsunade's office.

**Tsunade's office.**

"Enter" they heard a voice behind the closed doors.

"Hokage-sama, some visitors for you." Genma said as he opened the door, but before he knew it Naruto jumped in and screamed:

"Tsunade-baa-san, Ero-sennin has done it again"

"How bad is it this time?"

"Bad, really bad!" the blond yelled.

"Have you followed the standard procedures?"

"Hai" Naruto sighed "Not even the secret move you made years ago for this kind of occasions worked"

"What!" The hokage exclaimed "Not even the 'Thousand years of pain'?"

At this point Shikamaru and the sand siblings started to look really concerned, both because the perverted man didn't seem to be curable and because there was a procedure for this kind of events.

"Aaah, not again." the blonde, big breasted woman sighed and continued:

"Please, Genma, get Shizune here as soon as you can."

Only a few minutes passed, Naruto put down the nose bleeding man with a thump. Tsunade and Temari was talking quietly and a blush came over the younger woman's cheeks.

Then Shizune slammed the door open as she screamed:

"Pervert, how dare you make me do this again" obviously referring to Jiraya.

"Have you briefed Temari-san yet?" she continued as she obviously was working up her temper and with that her body heat.

"Yes, now this a super secret hidden move of Konoha, you will never tell anyone that you saw this. And only use it at these kinds of emergencies, have I made myself clear!" Tsunade said with her most strict voice.

"Hai, Hokage-sama" Shikmaru and Kankurou agreed.

"Just get it over with" Naruto murmured and put some cotton pads up his nose while he sat down. 'Lucky Genma got out of this one' he thought.

Shikamaru and Kankurou starred at each other and wondered what it was all about, they sat down in the red couch next to the door. Shrugged it away and watched the three women drinking one cup sake each.

They (the women) looked at each other and Tsunade took the lead…

"It's so hot in here, I might have to take some clothes of…" she smiled seductively and licked her lips.

"I don't know why, but I feel the same." Temari said and waved her fan towards Shizune. Obviously she never had done anything like that, she tried the best that she could.

"Aaaah, Temari-san you really make me feel sooo…" Shizune said seductive with her eyes half closed moving her body in ways that was far to hot to be just inappropriate.

She couldn't get another word out before Jiraya wass sitting up watching the women with a notepad in his left hand and a pen in his right. Naruto on the other hand laid on the floor growling and bleeding a lot from his little nose, he could never get used to this. Oh yeah, it had happened before, and only Tsunade and Shizune knew how to get him out of it. Now they had taught Temari.

Shikamaru was stunned, he had never seen anything like _that_ before, he didn't know Temari could be so tempting. And next to him Kankurou sat immobilized he did not want to see his older sister act like that, it scared the living daylight out of him.

Then they realized that even Shikamaru's nose had begun bleeding, Jiraya was a little tipsy from the blood loss and Kankurou scared out of his wits.

Naruto calmed himself down and said:

"Why don't you ever give me any hints before you're getting it on. This time I had time to stop the blood, but next time, will I have the time?"

"Don't be such a baby" Tsunade said and sat down in front of him, releasing chakra from her hand and healing the vessels in his nose.

"Thank you baa-san, you might have to take care of Shikamaru now, he doesn't look too good." Naruto said and rubbed his nose.

"You're right, but I thought he'd already seen everything about Temari-san." Tsunade joked and leaned down towards the bleeding man on her couch healing his nose too.

"Wakie wakie, Kankurou-san" Shizune said and snapped her fingers in front of his face and he answered:

"Nobody should ever see their sister act like that"

He shrugged and heard the chorus of rumbling stomachs.

Jiraya looked at his student, he said:

"Shall we get going and maybe eat some ramen before the briefing?"

"Yey, RAMEN!" Naruto screamed and jumped up and down.

"Are you kids coming to?" the perverted old man asked his student's old friends. Shikamaru looked at his girlfriend and her brother and the three of them nodded.

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**Ichiraku ramen place**

"Ramen, ramen, ramen…" Naruto sang to himself.

"Dobe" Shikamaru laughed, Naruto hadn't changed that much over the last two years.

"Hi...Naruto-kun…" he heard a light voice behind him, it was a woman. Her pale face and the light violet eyes, she was absolutely a Hyuuga, it was Hyuuga Hinata!

"Hello Hinata-chan" Naruto squeaked, they had formed a relationship how cute. And good for Hinata, maybe she wasn't that shy anymore.

"Hi Hinata-sama" Hinata turned around to be eye to eye with Nara Shikamaru, he hadn't been home in two long years. She would know, since her friend Ino had come to her crying her eyes out because he had left for a mission, and now he was back. Holding the hand of a very beautiful woman at his side, Hinata recognized her but couldn't put a name to that lightly tanned face next to Shikamaru.

"Oh…Hi…Shikamaru-san. It was… it has been… long time…" Hinata murmured poking her index fingers together.

"Still the same Hinata… You remember Temari, Gaara's sister?" Shikamaru continued.

"Hai." Hinata answered and looked at the time, she continued looking at Naruto:

"eeh… I'm going to meet the others… at… the academy… I thought maybe… you'd like to come…"

"I will, after we have had our mission briefing at Tsunade's. Where and when?" Naruto was hyper as always.

"Um… at… the academy… we can wait for you there… Tenten is teaching there now… with Iruka-kun" Hinata said under her voice.

"Yosh, we'll see you there." Shikamaru said and paid for the ramen that he and the sand siblings had eaten. Kankurou was still sitting in his own thoughts, he had seen his sister being sexy and seductive twice now, he was completely out of it. The now full men and Temari made their way back to the Hokage tower to continue this briefing of the Top Secret Mission.

'Iruka-kun!' Shikamaru thought 'Did she, no, she couldn't have, not the shy Hinata. Or could she?'

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**Tsunade's office**

"So, Shikamaru, Temari and Kankurou, what is this Top Secret Mission about?" Tsunade was really curious.

The two sand ninjas looked at each other and nodded towards Shikamaru who murmured:

"Troublesome…"

Tsunade turned towards Shikamaru looking into his dark eyes and smiled.

"This is a high rank, S-rank mission from Baki-sama in Sand, and what ever you may hear, you can not tell the Kazekage. Understood?" Shikamaru said and nodded at Temari.

She began doing some hand movements and said:

"_Silent Wall!"_

Kankurou nodded and looked out the window, the view was magnificent.

Shikamaru continued:

"As I was saying, no one can tell Gaara-sama, because the mission is about him. He has been depressed, from what I understand, when Akutski took the Shukaku out of him. And we really don't want him to be depressed…"

"I don't understand…" Tsunade was confused, looking at the young man standing face to face with her.

"We need him to relax, we need a girlfriend for him, Gaara shouldn't be alone anymore. The mission is; Get Gaara a girlfriend." Shikamaru said and Tsunade could only stare at him.

"What?" was the only word she could get out of her.

"You heard me." Shikamaru snorted.

Naruto and Jiraya looked at each other and burst out laughing, tears running down their cheeks and what else could they do. The thought of Gaara dating someone that he didn't want to, maybe he was gay, had they even thought about that.

"And as for you laughing, it's nothing to joke about. You really haven't met him in a long while have you." Temari said with tears in her eyes continuing, while a single teardrop travelled down her cheek:

"He just sits there staring either out the window dreaming or dives in to the papers on his desk."

"Okay, we will help. What can we do?" Jiraya, who had got a grip on himself and smiled at Temari said.

They told them about_ the_ plan, a celebration for the Kazekage's 20th birthday, the girls and how Baki had told them. And how Gaara almost found out when he stepped in to the conference room.

"How nice, you really care about Gaara-sama don't you" Tsunade said to the sand siblings.

"Yes, he has changed. Since he met Naruto he isn't the same, but im not complaining, I love the new Gaara. But then again I would always love my brother." Kankurou said, knowing Temari felt the same.

"Baa-san, we should get to the academy soon, everyone are waiting for us. Should we tell them about the party and invite them?" Naruto said, actually having a bright moment when he used his head.

"That would be a wonderful thing to do Naruto. When are we going to leave for sand, Temari-san?" Tsunade smiled.

"That would probably be about tomorrow, noonish." Temari answered looking at Shikamaru continuing:

"Because I'm going to meet Shikamaru's parents later this evening."

"First time, ne?" Tsunade said with a smirk.

"Yes, I want to make a really good impression on them…" Temari murmured.

"That won't be a problem, Shikaku-san and Yoshino-san are nice people. And you are nice, you've changed our lazy-boy here to a almost marry – kind – of – man." Tsunade chuckled.

Shikamaru just stared at the two women talking and he shook his head, his mother was going to kill him, he had found someone to love, and not introduced her immediately. But he would do anything for Temari, but only for her. The youngsters started to walk to the academy, where Naruto saw Tenten and Neji in a liplock, he just couldn't resist screaming:

"Neji-kun, how could you! Without telling me!"

Neji and Tenten broke the kiss, and glared at the blonde standing with the sand siblings and Shikamaru.

"Hi, lazy, how are you doing!" Neji said referring to Shikamaru and walked with the others into the school premises.

"Better than you, I don't have to deal with Naruto so often, every year, not every day" Shikamaru smirked.

"Hello, we are here! Sakura-chan!" Naruto screamed and found Sakura and Rock Lee doing rock, scissors and paper. Sakura squeaked, she had won and Lee started to do sit-ups and push-ups.

Temari was nervous. Very nervous.

Sakura came to Naruto and Shikamaru who were standing at the door.

"Hi, Shikamaru-kun" Sakura said in her sweetest voice.

"You'd better not do that or the future mrs Nara will kick your butt." Naruto laughed.

"Shut up dobe!" Sakura screamed, took a deep breath and continued:

"Future mrs Nara, who is it Shikamaru? Someone I know?"

"Hi Sakura, I think you recognize her, honey, come here will you?" Shikamaru said and beamed of a wonderful smile in the direction of a tanned blonde woman. He put his arm around her and said:

"You remember Temari, right Sakura."

"Ah, Temari-san welcome, you are the sister of your hunky Kazekage right?" Sakura said with a sparkle in her eyes.

"Yes actually, he is my little brother. And he is not hunky…" Temari shrugged.

"Now do you understand how I've been feeling all the time, with Shika-san and you going at it every minute of every day, by the way, I'm Kankurou the middle sibling of us three." Kankurou said and nodded at Shikamaru and Sakura.

Shikamaru looked around, they were all here, rookie nine and team Gai. They were all there, this was wonderful, now he could tell everyone at the same time, and he did – not about the Gaara needs a girlfriend part, but everything else. When he took up the list of women, he quickly realized that he should remove Tenten from this list.

They all decided that they should meet at the gates around noon the day after by the big gates leading out of Konoha. Sakura promised that she would tell the Hokage about their plans.

Temari was still nervous, she wasn't the person that was easily scared, but she really was afraid of meeting Shikamaru's parents. What if they didn't like her, what if they had chosen another girl for him to marry…

She was afraid, very afraid...


	4. Meet my Folks

Disclaimer: Still not the one that owns Naruto.

**Chapter 4: Meet my Folks.**

Shikaku was sitting on his favourite chair relaxing after a hard days work watching his, if obnoxiously loud and demanding sometimes, beautiful wife in the kitchen. She was occasionally looking at him giving him a bright smile, his wife was happy, even though she missed their son. He had left a couple of years ago on a long term mission to Sand.

A light knock on the door broke the silence. The husband looked at his wife, who was obviously as surprised as he was, he shrugged and went to open the door.

Shikaku reached the doorknob and turned it, what he saw made him drop his jaw.

"Who is it, honey" his wife yelled from the kitchen.

"I think you'd better make dinner for two more…" Shikaku answered.

"Long time no see" the man in front of him said while leaning on the doorframe and continued: "Dad"

Shikaku hugged his boy, this wasn't something he usually did, but the occasion was of a rare kind. His son had returned from the mission, and he had been scared he'd never see him again. The three stepped inside and Shikaku put his index finger to his mouth showing them to be quiet as he went to the kitchen, getting his wife. He whispered to her:

"I have a surprise for you darling." He put his hands in front of her eyes covering them, leading her towards something, she had butterflies in her stomach. She felt her husband nod and a pair of strong arms wrapped against her waist, there was a familiar scent of animal and … sand?

"SHIKAMARU!" she screamed, throwing her arms around his neck as Shikaku released the hands over her eyes.

"Troublesome woman." He smirked and hugged her tighter, this was his mother after all.

He continued now smiling letting go of his mother turning around:

"I have someone that I want to introduce you to…" he took the hand of the tanned blonde woman standing behind him giving her a reassuring smile while continuing:

"This is Temari, my future wife to be…"

Yoshino squeaked and hugged Temari, and Temari was surprised. She didn't think that she'd be welcomed into the family that fast. Yoshino looked at the woman in front of her, she was beautiful, blonde, tanned and a pair of gorgeous eyes. The older woman led the younger one in to the table and asked:

"So how did you meet our Shikamaru?"

"Mother…" Shikamaru sighed.

"I want to know dear." She answered and smiled.

"Actually I met him the first time during the chuunin exams about seven years ago" Temari answered and looked at Shikaku.

"Yes! I remember you, you were the one that stayed with Shikamaru when Chouji was in the hospital, right? The one that…" he stopped and smirked continuing: "gave him a rather fun lecture, did you not?"

"Well, yes" she blushed, and when she did Shikaku realized something else and blurted out:

"You are the Kazekage's sister…"

Temari blushed even harder, but soon controlled herself again, looking at Shikamaru's mother and continuing:

"Then a couple of years later Shikamaru-kun came to our village on a mission to work with Gaara-sama. And we ended up dating for a while until my loving Nii-sama somehow accomplished the work of getting Shikamaru-kun to ask me to marry him."

"Come with me to the kitchen and we'll talk some more, Temari-san. I want to know everything there is to know. He is my only son you know." Yoshino and Temari started to walk in to the kitchen when Shikamaru said:

"You're not leaving me alone, are you" it almost sounded like he pouted.

Yoshino started to laugh:

"I like you more and more for every minute that passes, you made my son… pout… I've never seen him do that. Set the table now my favourite men."

"Troublesome women…" Shikamaru and Shikaku both said and sighed.

"Shikamaru…" that was Temari's voice, and Shikamaru jumped, startled and began the procedure of setting the table for dinner.

"You are so whipped!" Shikaku laughed at his son.

Yoshino glared at her husband and he sweat dropped and started helping his son set the table. Shikamaru smirked.

Temari and Shikamaru's mother were talking in the kitchen as the food was cooking.

Shikaku sat and talked with his son while they were playing chess, like the old times. This was how they loved to spend their time, quiet, beside from the giggles in the kitchen and the women talking.

"You love her don't you?" Shikaku said while his son made his move.

"Yeah, she is troublesome but I still love her. Check." Shikamaru said smirking.

"Dinner is ready!"

"Troublesome women, disturbing us in the middle of something this important." Shikaku murmured looking at the younger copy of himself while moving his knight.

"In the middle of?" Temari said and moved Shikamaru's runner continuing "Check Mate!"

"Troublesome women" Shikaku sighed as he walked towards the kitchen, to be seated and starting their dinner.

"So Shikamaru, how does it feel to be home in Konoha again?" his mother asked as they munched on the fabulous dinner that she had made.

"Good, I don't have sand everywhere…" Shikamaru said and scratched his back as he did when he was in Sand. Temari looked at Shikamaru with puppy-dog eyes saying:

"Don't you like home? Don't you love me? Would you stay with me in Sand forever?"

"Troublesome…"

His father looked over at his son with great sympathy in his black eyes, while his mother and fiancée almost fell of their chairs laughing.

"I'm only kidding Shika-kun" Temari purred as she laid her head against his right shoulder.

"That was delicious honey." Shikaku said to his wife kissing her cheek.

"And you said I'm whipped" Shikamaru laughed at how his father was acting.

"Shikamaru-kun, the plates, please" Temari said and looked at her man.

Shikamaru took the plates and walked over to the sink, while his father did the same. Temari and Yoshino walked in to the living room, while they heard the men pouring water and begun washing the dishes and pots, Shikamaru doing the dishes and Shikaku drying and putting everything away. They heard the women giggle, this wasn't good. The men looked worriedly at each other, and Shikaku went to the door frame, leaning in just showing his eyes and his pineapple hair. He saw his wife with a brown book in her lap, yet to be opened.

The older pineapple haired man threw the plate back to Shikamaru, doing a few hand seals.

"_Kage Mane No Jutsu"_

The black shadow trapped his wife making her unable to move, he threw his hands in the air banzai-style and Temari tried to catch the book, but she couldn't move. She had also been caught in the shadow of Shikaku. Shikamaru ran into the living room and grabbed the photo album, and ran back to the kitchen while his father was entertaining the women with some dancing. (A/N: Still in Kage Mane, the women had to dance to…)

Temari growled and pouted:

"If Gaara knew what you were doing to his only beloved sister…"

----

At the same time in Suna the young Kazekage sneezed.

"Someone must be talking about me" Gaara said to himself, while looking out the window.

----

The women in the Nara house was now sitting next to each other and flipping through the photo album. Yoshino had it in her lap and told Temari everything about Shikamaru's life while growing up. Temari had her fan over her right shoulder, Shikamaru and Shikaku were just sitting there facing the women on the other side of the coffee table. They were rubbing their heads which had big bumps, courtesy to Temari's huge fan.

"And this is when Shikamaru had his first kiss, aah, do you remember that. Ino and Shikamaru looking at the clouds, they were three years old." Yoshino sighed and looked at the men in her life, and continuing:

"Well, we thought they would get married when they were older. But Ino got obsessed with the raven haired Uchiha."

Temari giggled and looked at Shikamaru who was squirming in his chair, wanting to be somewhere else or rather anywhere else.

"Of course for him, we bought a summer house and were there all the vacations we could. Actually it is on the border of Fire Country." Yoshino was babbling.

"Maybe you could settle down there? You kids can live there if you want."

Shikamaru looked over at his Temari and she was smiling, maybe they could be able to live there. Close to her home and close to his, almost in the middle. Maybe they could arrange it to be a training ground for the people of both Suna and Fire. The idea in his head started to grow; maybe, just maybe they could make it happen.

"Yes, maybe we could do that." Temari nodded.

They had been talking for hours and hours, as the evening began shifting to night Shikamaru yawned and looked at Temari blinking at her, and she smiled. He thought that it was time to turn in for the night They had a long trip tomorrow. Back to Suna, it had been a long exhausting day, Shikamaru took Temari's hand and they said good night to his parents and made their way to his bedroom.

When Shikaku and Yoshino heard the door to his bedroom click, they smiled at each other and had the same thought in their minds their son was home, if only for a night, he was home. This was a night that they would sleep really well.

* * *

A/N: A bit OOC, but fun non the less. 


	5. the Trip Back to Suna

I've had some problems here with the computer, along with some authors block. Here it is, chapter 5. Enjoy. Reviews and feedback are more then welcome.

Disclaimer: Still not the one owning him… sadly.

-----

Chapter 5: the Trip Back.

Temari and Shikamaru had woken up late, sleeping in was something they rarely did. Back in Suna it was always something that had to be done, as the Kazekage's family, or almost, they had to back him up everyday. Trusting him to make the right decisions but helping with paperwork, training genins and watching Kankurou, who by the way was sleeping in a hotel room near the Konoha gates. Kankurou wasn't someone to be trusted, he was looking at girls as soon as he would have a chance.

It was noon the 18th of January and it was time to make the trip back to Suna and Gaara's birthday tomorrow, the beloved Kazekage, but a depressed Kazekage.

Temari and Shikamaru was holding hands walking down the street thinking about the offer that Shikamaru's parents had made about a house last night, Temari looked at her husband to be. Maybe they could get married this summer, or maybe wait until he at least was twenty, she giggled thinking this.

"Ohayo Temari-san, Shikamaru-kun!" it was the voice of a young pink haired woman leaning her back against the gates.

"Ohayo, Sakura-chan…" Shikamaru answered and was immediately hit on the head with Temari's fan. "Sakura-san…" he corrected himself, with the hand rubbing the bump on his head that Temari's big fan hade made.

Shikamaru looked at his friends standing by the gates, the always late Hatake Kakashi was there, being bullied by Maito Gai, who wanted to challenge his eternal rival in the special arts of Janken (Rock Paper Scissors). Team Gai and Rookie eight (without Sauske it wasn't rookie nine) was standing there with Tsunade, Shizune, Jiraya and Iruka. These were all the people that were going to sand with them, but wait someone was missing. Temari sighed and looked around, thinking who was going to get Kankurou out of his bed, if she went it would be faster. She glanced at her boyfriend and disappeared towards the hotel.

Once that minor setback was taken care of they hopped through the forest of Fire country in a rapid pace. Naruto was blabbing about the party and how they would surprise Gaara, one of his closest friends, by the bond of Kyuubi and Shukaku. Ever since the forest incident of the chuunin exam, the noisy loudmouthed and blond boy, no man had impressed Temari somewhat unexpected. But he had wanted to protect his friends and save them.

Neji had his byakugan activated, jumping behind Kakashi, who was reading one of his perverted books.

----

"Is it time for a break yet, Hokage-sama?" the chuunin with a scar over his nose asked the woman jumping beside him and Kakashi.

Tsunade looked back at the jounin jumping behind Kakashi, with his bloodline limit on, the pale eyes seemed so be scanning the area for hidden enemies.

"Sure, why not, Neji and Hinata, scout for a place to rest." Tsunade answered and looked at the two Hyuugas. They nodded and Hinata started her bloodline limit and scouted for a place, Hinata asked Neji:

"What do you think about this place by the lake?"

"Good work Hinata-sama." Neji praised his cousin. With that they turned to Tsunade and nodded.

About five minutes later the Konoha Hokage and her followers had sat down and were resting. Except Maito Gai, he was again trying to make the silver haired man with the mask covering his face to be challenged. The score was now 105 to 106, in favour of Hatake Kakashi, who was reading one of the books with orange bindings.

"Kakashi-kun, please, just one more today, if I loose I will get you anything you want when we come back to Konoha" the man with a bowl cut said with a nice-guy-pose.

"Well, Kakashi-san, you know that my new Icha Icha Paradise Special Edition comes out in February." Jiraya asked.

"Well just this once…" Kakashi gave in.

"Aaah, my eternal rival, what shall we do this time?" Gai asked.

"Well…" the Hatake was thinking.

"How about…who has the nicest butt?" Gai said looking at the women.

Tsunade, Shizune, Ino, Sakura, Hinata, Temari and Tenten unanimously said:

"KAKASHI!"

The others sweat dropped and stared at Gai who fell down on the ground sobbing, wondering how Kakashi's butt was nicer than his. And why Tenten hadn't stood up for him, he cried out.

"Lee"

"Gai-sensei"

"Lee"

"Gai-sensei"

The beautiful sunset on the beach with the waves hitting shore.

Everyone except the two was running and hiding, don't wanting to see the scene about to happened.

Temari and Shikamaru were happy that their house in Suna was big, no huge so it would fit everyone.

They would put Tsunade, Kurenai and Shizune in one room, Kakashi, Iruka, Jiraya, Gai and Asuma in one room, the women in one room and the men in another.

So no one could complain, maybe they could put Lee and Gai in a room together, that way they didn't have to be bothered by the complaint by the men, that had to share rooms with them.

It was then they heard:

"Maaa, Iruka-sensei, you can't deny it!" Kakashi's voice had a pitch in it.

"Kakashi-sensei, please not in front of them…" Iruka had answered.

"But it no use in hiding it… Iruka" Kakashi glared at the man with the big scar in his face.

"Deny what?" Naruto screamed.

"His…" Kakashi began.

"Nothing" Iruka said.

"Inner Pervert" Kakashi continued as his eye crinkled in that "U" shape that meant he was smiling

"I don't have such a thing." Iruka exclaimed.

"Well, Iruka-kun, everybody has them. Even Neji." Jiraya told the younger men standing in front of him.

Iruka remained silent, looking at the white haired man who continued:

"Didn't you know the reason that he was using to activate his bloodline limit? We are in Fire country still… He was reading the Icha Icha Paradise that Kakashi was reading when up in the trees."

"I actually didn't notice." Iruka answered with a faint blush for not noticing.

"Maa, Iruka-kun, he was reading behind my back." Kakashi said holding his Icha Icha Paradise in front of Iruka, witch made the chuunin blush even harder.

"So if Neji isn't ashamed of it, why should you?" Jiraya said as the break was over and all the people started to move again.

"Poor Iruka." Temari giggled while jumping next to Shikamaru.

"Yeah. I kind of feel bad for him…" Shikamaru said.

"Not troublesome?" Temari was shocked.

"No, he was my favourite teacher." Shikamaru exclaimed and looked up at the sky, the clouds were beautiful. He hadn't had any time to look at the clouds since they left Suna.

The inner-pervert discussion continued, Jiraya telling Iruka that it wasn't that bad being a pervert as Kakashi.

"But Kakashi is so obvious." Iruka said as he landed on a tree branch.

"Hehe, that he is." Jiraya giggled and continued (A/N: yes, he giggled.)

"But you wouldn't want to be such a closet pervert as Ebisu."'

"What! Ebisu!" Iruka screamed.

"Ask Naruto" was Jiraya's answered.

Iruka turned to Naruto and gave him a questioning look.

"It was when he dragged Konohammaru away, when I was 12, just started training with Kakashi-sensei. I used the Sexy-No-Jutsu, Harem version." Naruto sighed, and added:

"Ebisu- san is going to kill me…"

"He really is a closet pervet…" Iruka murmured.

"Well, he isn't that bad. He just can't be around beautiful women." Naruto proudly exclaimed.

Sakura smacked the young man over the head:

"Dobe!"

"Itai" he was rubbing the back of his head, there Sakura had hit.

And as soon as they had munched some rationbars and drank some water, trip back to Suna continued, as well the torture of Iruka and his inner pervert.

Temari and Shikamaru both thought

'This is going to be fun, hope Gaara appreciates it. His birthday is tomorrow, hope we get there in time.'

---

Arriving at the Suna gates the guards were happy to see Temari, Kankurou and Shikamaru.

"Ohayo Temari-sama, Kankurou-sama, Shikamaru-sensei." one of the guards said with a slight pitch in his voice.

"Shikamaru-sensei?" Naruto wondered.

"Yes, ohayo, we're back with friends." Shikamaru answered Naruto and the guard.

"Shall I send one of your students to tell Kazekage-sama?" the guard asked.

"No, this is top secret! You can't tell anyone that we are back." Temari told them.

"Okay, Temari-sama." The guard answered, nodding as he let everyone pass the gates.

'This could get intresting.' Tsunade thought smiling.


	6. the Sand Wall?

sorry for not updating sooner, the comp. went poof and had to go on a service visit and I lost all my writing.

Still not owning Narutoor his friends. sadly.

* * *

**Chapter 6: the Sand Wall?**

"So what do we do about Gaara?" Tsunade asked while rubbing her hands together and the plot making began.

In the other end of Suna Gaara sneezed.

'Am I catching a cold?' he thought rubbing his hand at the back of his head.

Everyone had disappeared and he felt awfully lonely, it seemed that everyone had forgotten him. All day he was supposed to do paperwork, so boring.

"Ohayo, Gaara-sama." A feminine and familiar voice said behind him.

"Ohayo, Temari-nee-san." Gaara simply answered turning towards the voice.

"We are here to give a report on our short mission to Konoha." Shikamaru said as he entered the room followed by Kankurou.

"Then report." Gaara said as he sat down in the Kazekage chair.

"Mission successful." Kankurou exclaimed.

"Well good. And Hokage-sama, was she fine?" Gaara asked the three persons in front of him.

"Yes. Troublesome woman." Shikamaru sighed.

"Gaara, lunch today?" Temari asked her younger brother.

"Why not, it's not like I have something else to do." Gaara started.

"I'm sorry, that was rude. I would love to." He continued.

"Come by in an hour?" Temari said smiling as the red haired young man nodded and they went out of the room and exited the tower.

Strolling down the street towards the home of Shikamaru and Temari, they sighed in relive, Gaara hadn't found out yet. As they entered the house they saw the funniest scene; Naruto on Kiba's shoulders trying to decorate, it was obvious that neither one of them had good balance. The others was using chakra (A/N: remember tree-climbing exercise?). Sakura, Ino, Hinata and Tenten were living the wild life in the kitchen, making pies and other delicious food. Temari shook her head as Naruto lost the little balance he had and with a thump landed hard on the floor.

"Itai!" he yelled, then started pouting:

"You are so mean Kiba…"

"You are the one without balance!" Kiba scrowled.

Temari couldn't help but giggle, turning to Shikamaru it was obvious that he was equally amused with the scene in front of them.

Kakashi, Iruka, Jiraya and Asuma was in a deep discussion involving who Iruka should date when he got home. Well, Iruka wasn't doing much talking, mostly listening. They were counting the eligible women in Konoha.

"How about…" Kakashi said, still thinking.

"Shizune." Jiraya blurted out.

"She's taken." Tsunade exclaimed.

"By whom?" Kakashi was stunned.

"Shiranui Genma." Tsunade said.

"What!" Asuma said, dropping the cigarette out of his mouth.

"Did _she_ tame the notorious Genma?" Iruka asked shyly.

"Yup." Tsunade nodded.

"I'm impressed." Kakashi smiled. (A/N: Smiling, not smirking) he was happy for one of his best friends.

"So who is left?" Jiraya started the conversation again.

"Hmm" Asuma thought.

"How about Anko?" Tsunade said.

"Anko… she is scary." Asuma noted.

"And taken." Iruka giggled.

"By whom?" Kakashi asked.

"You…" Iruka answered.

"What?" Kakashi looked like he was caught with his pants down.

"She's my best friend, female that is, so she told me." Iruka blushed.

"Ah, the nights before we left." Kakashi pondered to himself, thinking about their dates before they left Konoha. Candels, dinner, movie - thogh he didn't remember much of that one.

"Yup" Iruka said blushing even more, showing that he really knew what had happened.

The decorating of the house was almost done and even the food was prepared. It was the 19th of January, Gaara's birthday and almost lunchtime. Everyone from Konoha masked their chakra and started the waiting period.

It wasn't long before they all noticed the Kazekage's chakra, moving towards them and a light knock on the door was heard. With everyone in their hiding place Temari straightened her clothes and moved towards the door, slowly opening it.

"Hello there Onii-chan." Temari said and welcomed her brother into her house. Closing the door, she nodded, the signal. They jumped out of their most creative hiding places, behind the sofa, in the kitchen under the staircase. And they began shouting:

"Sur…."

"Shield of Sand!" Gaara said and had a wall of sand in front of him.

"Prise….?" They continued evidently very shocked over the Kazekage's reaction.

Gaara carefully peeked around the sand wall's corner.

"Return." He said with a slight shade of red exposing itself on his cheeks. Then he continued with an explanation:

"Gomen. I didn't know it was you all. I've been a bit jumpy lately"

"It's okay, it's really nothing. Right guys!" Ino said while glaring at the others.

"Eh, no, no." Everybody agreed, still a tad shocked.

"Yeah, yeah." Naruto said, his blue eyes sparkling.

"Surprised?" the pink haired ninja asked.

"Slightly" Gaara said cool.

"Oh…" Sakura said a bit depressed, their attempt might have been a failure.

"Honestly? I was scared out of my wits." He admitted and made the pink haired woman smile, the green eyes sparkling.

Gaara had this strange feeling in the pit of his stomach something between extremely nervous and very content, but he didn't ponder on it. He just let the feeling guide him for a bit.

"Then we made it!" Ino squeeled.

"Success!" Naruto and Kiba yelled while making a high five.

"Time for lunch. And eat well, because tonight is the parade and the party, enjoying our beloved Kazekage's 20th birthday." Temari said.

"But…" Hinata began, while poking her index fingers together.

"We don't have any clothes." Ino said.

"Hmm." Sakura agreed and nodded her head, feeling a little bit down, looking at the young man in front of her, his beautiful eyes and his red hair. The tattoo over his left eye was getting a lot of attention.

'He's really hot' she thought blushing.

The lunch went with laughs, giggles and deep conversation. And some was flirting of course. With Jiraya and Tsunade in one end discussing the plot of his new Icha Icha book. He had a minor writing block, well writing smut isn't that hard, but making a plot around it – that's a different story. Gaara was at the other end of the table stealing glances at the young beauty sitting next to him. Temari noticed that he was preoccupied with something, looking at people. Especially the one that Shikamaru had mentioned at their meeting (A/N remember chapter 1?)

Well she had to admit that the pink haired woman had become a real beauty, a woman with class. Her sensei wasn't rubbing of on her, she was always on time, she didn't drink alcohol and she was definitely not a pervert. Maybe he could become the perfect sister in law. Then the next mission would probably be; Get Kankurou a girlfriend. Temari giggled at this thought. It wasn't just Temari that noticed the Kazekage's behaviour, a certain silver haired ex sensei of hers smirked and said:

"Well Gaara-sama. I think we should have a man to man talk some time soon. Right guys?"

"Yup" Jiraya said while Iruka and Asuma nodded.

"Well with the power of youth, we will join in." Gai exclaimed and Lee nodded in agreement.

"No." Gaara stated.

The sobs began from Lee and Gai that looked at each other.

"Lee….!"

"Gai-sensei!"

"Oh, put a sock in it." Gaara said knocking the two men wearing spandex suits. Tenten was quickly on her feet fiercely hugging the Kazekage.

"My hero!" she cried out.

"Hero?" Hyuuga Neji was confused.

"You made them stop!" Tenten was utterly happy.

"No problem Tenten-san." Gaara answered and tried to get out of her iron grip, and she slowly let him go. He was actually blushing, for the third time in just a couple of hours. Why was he feeling like this? He was extremely nervous.

Sakura was sitting in the living room area sipping on a glass of water. She saw the younger brother standing with his sister and brother thanking them for the lunch and bringing some guests that he actually knew and liked, more or less.

The pink haired woman was smiling, she was one of the few that was invited to the Kazekage's secret birthday party. Why couldn't she get up the guts to talk to him, was she such a coward? It was cold outside, even if it was the warm country of Suna, it was cold. A shiver came down her spine, she shrugged and got goose bumps.

This was noted by the young Kazekage who excused himself and walked over to the cold girl. He smiled at her offering a blanket to put around her shoulders. Gaara knew that it was always there in the living room area, because of Shikamaru sleeping there when ever he got Temari really angry. Sakura smiled weakly and nodded. Her way of saying yes please put it around me.

"Are you still cold?" Gaara was for the first time in his live worried about someone outside of his family.

"A little, but the blanket helped." Sakura replied, reminding herself of something she had forgotten and she continued:

"Kazekage-sama."

"Eh, please leave the title and the sama-part." Gaara scowled. He didn't want to intimidate the pink haired woman more than he already had, as on a cue he had a flashback to the chuunin exam eight years ago, when the Shukaku got out and he didn't know what love or caring was.

He shook his head and smiled at her as she nodded.

"So, is it… different… being…ehrm…old?" Sakura asked teasingly. And Gaara was quick to follow the joke:

"Yes, totally. Today I woke up with pain and aches everywhere."

"Just tell me where and I'll help you, you know that I'm a medic-nin now, right." Sakura stated and started quickly cursing herself for not getting that it was a joke.

"Maybe I will…" Gaara said looking deeply in to her green sparking eyes, and she blushed.

Gaara thought:

'Did I just make her blush? She is beautiful with that shade of red on her cheeks.'

And he started having this strange fuzzy feeling inside. His obsidian eyes were sad as he realized that she was way out of his league, he would never be able to have someone that kind and sweet, yet strong and fierce. She had been trained by the Hokage, she was an apprentice of this woman with a really high status. Well his own status wasn't that bad, but he wasn't trained by one of the legendary sannins, and even she was expected to surpass the skilled Hokage.

"Is too."

"Is not."

"Is too."

"Is not…"

Gaara was snapped put of his thoughts hearing Kakashi and Iruka arguing.

"It is not!" Iruka said crossing his arms over his chest giving Kakashi his best mad-school-teacher-glare.

"It sure is." Kakashi frowned, this man wasn't easy arguing or discussing with.

Now Kakashi had to consider himself beaten, in the discussion of who knew Anko best. Iruka and Anko had been working together for a long time, he as a teacher and she as an examiner.

"So how about the party tonight?" Tsunade asked as the others turned their eyes to the birthday boy.

"Well, it is the village way of congratulating me and bring their daughter's around so I can meet them." Gaara sighed.

"What you don't like girls?" Kiba blurted out.

"Yes, I do like girls. Just not them." Gaara said and his eyes wandered around the room, she wasn't there. Where could she be?

"So no formal clothing?" Shino asked.

"Come as you are or you se fit." Temari answered smiling, she did hate dressing up. Well, for Shikamaru she would dress up anyway he wanted, she blushed at the thought.

"Where is Sakura?" Gaara asked the young blonde woman with these intense blue eyes.

"She went out for some air with Naruto." Ino answered.

"Are they an item?" Gaara was curious.

"Nope, though they love each other." Ino said and Gaara's heart sank, she continued:

"But only as brother and sister. Why do you wonder?"

"No reason, they just seem so close." Gaara answered, just a tad relived.

"Mhm?" Ino shook her head and giggled.

"What?" the Kazekge asked.

"Nothing." Ino said smirking.

'Women are really strange.' Gaara thought.

Shaking his head Gaara left the room, walking out to the porch he met Naruto and they passed each other without a word. Then he saw the young woman sitting, staring at a single flower that had come to life, trough the winter.

A single tear fell from her eye, she hadn't seen Gaara yet. He wondered if he dared talking to her, now it was too late she had seen him and wiped away the tear with the back of her right hand.

"I'm sorry. I shouldn't be crying when it's a time to celebrate." Sakura sniffled.

"No problem. Sometimes I feel like doing it to." Gaara tried to reassure the young woman.

"Why? You have almost everything." Sakura sighed.

"Do you think it's easy?" Gaara asked quietly.

"No, I didn't mean it like that." Sakura began.

"Everybody afraid of the Shukaku that was inside of me. No friends. My family, let's just say they weren't that good." Gaara continued.

"I'm so sorry." Sakura murmured.

"But now…I've met Naruto and everyone." Gaara said smiling and still continued:

"He did teach me a lot of things."

"He has that affect on people." Sakura praised her best friend.

Sakura shivered as she sat on the bench rubbing her hand on her opposite arms to keep warm.

"Still cold?" Gaara asked.

"Mhm…" she answered shivering again. He sat down next to her and put his arm around her.

"Better?" He wondered shyly.

"Yes." She blushed.

"So where do we go from here?" the young man said.

"How about to the party?" she answered and got up slowly, took hi hand and continued:

"Come now. I will protect you from the evil fan-girls."

He laghed:

"Coming."

The entered the house looking around they realized that Tsunade and Jiraya was missing when Gaara broke the silence:

"Where is the Hokage and the other sannin?"

Kakashi and Iruka sweat dropped, Asuma tried to answer the question but couldn't. Suddenly the Kazekage realized where they were and blushed saying:

"Oh…OH!"

"What?" Naruto still didn't get it.

"I'll tell you when you're older." Iruka sighed.

"But I'm older and I want to know now." He yelled.

"You know, when a man loves a woman, they…." Kakashi began.

"You're right! I don't wanna know!" Naruto screamed smacking his hands over his ears.

Sakura laughed at the other members of team 7. Gaara looked over to the young couple that went into the kitchen, doing the dishes after their lovely lunch together. He could admit openly that he was jealous of his older sister, wishing that he could find true love soon. Gaara walked towards the men having a heated discussion. Iruka said with feeling:

"Kakashi, you must be the most self centred, egoistic and perverted man that exists!"

"Perverted?" Gaara was dumbfounded.

"That he is." Sakura said as she joined up, standing next to the Kazekage.

"He is?" Gaara still hadn't got it.

"Maybe not the worst…" Iruka changed his mind as he saw Jiraya enter the room with a content smirk on his face. And Iruka continued:

"Jiraya is the one, writing all those perverted books…."

"That's me." Jiraya said waiving his hair and started to do his intro. Naruto smacked the sannin over his head knocking him out.

"Was that necessary?" Kakashi asked and grabbed something inside of his weapons pouch, bringing out an orange book with a warning sign posted on it.

"Pervert." Sakura mumbled.

"Did you say something Sakura-chan?" Kakashi said.

He knew her secret, she had actually read them too.

"So shall we go?" Temari interrupted the still blushing Sakura and smirking Kakashi.

"Mmm." Sakura nodded and almost ran out of the room followed by the rest.

Sighing Gaara got up from his sitting position, Indian-style on the floor. He didn't like being the center of attention and through the parade he was going to sit in a chariot waiving to all the people there celebrating his birthday. And every year the crowd was getting bigger and bigger. Every year he was so alone no one that he loved or cared about was there, except Kankurou, Temari and Shikamaru. But this year was different, the Konoha residents were there, his friends and family, and _she_ was there, the young woman that he just met again. Every time he saw her, he began having these crazy, fuzzy feelings in his stomach, a kind of queasy feeling yet exited. Just like the day he was announced the Kazekage, but very different in many ways.

What was he supposed to do?


	7. THE Talk

Disclaimer: don't own, shows empty pockets.

**Chapter 7: THE Talk.**

"So…" the silver haired ninja from Konoha began.

"How about we have the nice little men to man talk now." Jiraya continued what Kakashi had started.

"Eh. Sure, why not?" Gaara answered as the celebrations had continued for a while and the siblings from Suna was supposed to get something to eat and drink, and now when it was legal to the Kazekage, Kakashi, Asuma, Iruka, Jiraya, Neji and Gai went with him to a bar.

It was dark and kind of murky in there and it oozed of alcohol. Gaara had never felt this kind of smell before and it wasn't a good one. But the men went in and sat down at a long table and watched Gaara as they all knew what was going to happen and what the talk was about.

"So…" Iruka began, trying to find the right words.

"You like Sakura." Neji exclaimed.

Gaara blushed madly.

"You could be a little bit more considerate Neji-san." Iruka told his former student.

"Why? Beating around in the bush, tip-toing around his feelings? Isn't it better that he knows that we know that he has figured it out, so we all have realized the fact that he knows that we saw it to." Neji answered.

"Eh?" Asuma was lost along with Iruka and Jiraya.

"So you mean that we should get to the point." Kakashi said thoughtfully.

"Yupp." Neji nodded.

"So, with the power of youth , we shall help you get started with the dating of a certain Cherry blossom." Gai exclaimed in a nice-guy-pose continuing:

"So there fore I will start and if I fail I will run 100 laps around Suna before sunset!"

Gai walked up to a young woman in the bar and started to talk to her in a rather loud voice.

"My dear young woman you are like the stars in the sky, mysterious and beautiful. As gorgeous as the sun setting on a beach with the waves hitting the shore with a light breeze…"

The men from Konoha sweat-dropped. Neji shook his head and didn't want to listen to his ex-sensei talking like that and hoping that he hadn't rubbed of on him.

"That's not how we do the asking out part…" Jiraya said perverted as he started the beginning of his own, walking up to an older woman, he did what he did the best:

"You're so beautiful, will you be the next inspiration to my book."

"Hentai!" the woman scream and hit the sannin more then a few times, beating him into a pulp.

Gaara turned around to watch the other men again and his eyes were caught by Iruka that was talking to a blonde waitress, blushing and giggling. That was obviously the best one in the group.

Asuma was smoking one of his cigarettes and moping around, it was clear that he missed the woman of his dreams, with other words Kurenai.

Then he saw the silver haired jounin having another waitress sitting in his lap, this one was a brunette with long hair falling freely over her back.

He turned towards Gaara, saying:

"This is how we geniuses do it, right Neji?"

Neji nodded and Kakashi continued:

"Lesson 1: Look her deep in the eyes…" and Kakashi did just that.

"Lesson 2: Look you the best you can." Kakashi pulled down the mask covering his face.

"Lesson 3: Kiss her sensless." Kakashi covered the young waitress' lips with his own.

"Lesson 4: eh screw that dating thing. You and me closet now!" he said to the waitress that was blushing madly and she followed him.

"The moon's bright shine in the middle of the night guides everyone's way, as you guide my heart towards yours..." Gai was still at it with the same girl, Gaara was stunned.

"That's not how we geniuses do it…" Neji was disappointed in Kakashi's lack of discresson, he continued:

"Watch and learn my friend."

Neji walked up to a woman in the bar, she seemed quite young but still looked mature with her red hair in a pony tail.

"Hello there beautiful" he said smiling at the woman, she fainted.

Gaara realized that this was going to be one long day… As he looked at the glass before him the thoughts of Sakura came back once more.

"And that's how you get a date…" Maito Gai beamed at the Kazekage.

"What?" Neji who had also returned to the table looked at his sensei in disbelief.

"It has to be the fact that women absolutely love my clothing style." Gai was so proud.

This had to have been the worst day of Gaara's life, even the Konoha blue beast had gotten himself a date and Gaara was afraid to ask Sakura to have a private dinner for two. He had been through a lot growing up, maybe he was afraid of rejection…

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A/N : Sorry everyone, short chapter.

Reviews please.


	8. the Teacher missing?

Disclaimer: this is getting boring, still not the one owning him.

Thanks for the reviews! D

I'm having a vote for the one ending up with Sakura – at the end of this chapter.

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Chapter 8: the Teacher – missing?

Gaara was exhausted, the whole getting a date thing really got on his nerves. Why couldn't it be easier to walk up to a woman and ask her to eat a meal with him and maybe take a walk in the park. He let out a loud sigh and got up from the chair at the bar, it wasn't that late yet, the sun was still up high in the wonderful blue sky with a couple white fluffy clouds there as well.

Sakura was sitting at the table with the other females that had joined the Konoha women. The Hokage and Shizune was talking vividly about Shizune's boyfriend or boy toy as Tsunade called him. That man had to be the biggest flirt in all of Konoha, he had even flirted with Sakura, who was about 18 years older than her, not that age had any matter what so ever in a relationship. And she started thinking about two of her closest friends and their relationship, Izumo and Kotetsu. Such a waste of men, but they loved each other and she was happy for them, just as her crush on Izumo went away that is. She got up from her place and walked out to the cold air, she took a deep breath and felt a chill down her spine.

"Are you cold again?" Gaara asked the pink haired ninja as she went out from the room.

"You scared me…" Sakura began, but nodded as she saw who the voice belonged to.

"Gomen." Gaara said quietly, almost shy (A/N: can Gaara be shy?)

"It's alright. I'm not scared anymore. Actually I feel safe when ever you're around. Eh, silly me right!" Sakura blushed as she confessed this to Gaara.

"You aren't scared of me? I'm sorry… but I don't think I am someone that is that reliable that you take me for, you must have me confused with someone else." Gaara was sad, more so than ever.

"Nope, I'm not scared. That's a promise, and I won't be." Sakura looked around her, she was on a porch outside of Temari's and Shikamaru's house continuing:

"I wonder what Shikamaru and Temari are doing.."

"You don't want to know that." Gaara blushed.

"Why? What?" Sakura was utterly confused.

"They are probably out eating a picnic under the bare sky promising each other eternal love, all mushy." Gaara told her.

"Eh, that is so CUTE!" Sakura squeaked.

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Somewhere about two blocks away Temari sneezed, closely followed by a sneeze from Shikamaru.

"I wonder how our mission is working." Temari stated.

"Troublesome mission, getting that, and difficult too I might add." Shikamaru sighed.

"Well mister-I-am-so-smart, what do you think?" Temari mocked Shikamaru who answered:

"I did guess who he wanted, or at least by the look of it."

"Ah, that I agree to." Temari nodded.

"So where do we go from here?" Shikamaru asked.

"I guess we have some spying to do, although it's going to be hard." Temari sighed.

"Troublesome…" Shikamaru and Temari sweat dropped.

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In the bar earlier mentioned a drunken Jiraya was sitting across the table from an equally drunk Asuma. They were giggling like teenage girls when someone mentioned anything about sand.

Kakashi had come back after his relieving (sp?) visit to a nearby closet. Neji had already fallen asleep, he couldn't hold his alcohol (A/N: from ep. Curry of life.) and Iruka was nowhere to be found. Where could he have gone off to? Now even the copy-nin was worried. Kakashi shook the knocked-out Neji trying to wake him up, after a couple of shakings Neji was semi-awake but not that responsive. Neji was told to use his Byakugan to locate the missing school teacher. Iruka was nowhere in his sight of vision.

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Naruto groaned, he and the others who wasn't legally old enough to join the elders at the bar, was sitting or just hanging around in Temari's and Shikamaru's house playing games.

Both board and some truth or dare maybe a tad girlish and immature, but fun non the less. And that had made Naruto confess that he actually missed Sauske after the battle in the valley. Sauske and Naruto was like brothers and Sakura their sister, and when Sauske came back after killing his brother Itatchi he and Sai were teamed up with Yamato as the ultimate 3-man team, and they didn't see each other that often. But from time to time Sauske would check up on Naruto and Sakura.

"So, who is the notorious Sauske in love with?" Kiba asked him

"Eh, that would probably be Sakura…" Naruto mumbled.

"Sakura!" Shino blurted out.

"Is that so strange?" Naruto asked and continued:

"She was so madly in love with him before he left and now she's even a better person. Don't get me wrong, I love her like my sister. But Sauske got it bad."

"And we all know my dear team mate Lee has the Sakura bug to." Tenten said.

"That I don't know about, but I think that Gaara-sama is interested in having something with her, he might even love her." Shino told them what his bugs had informed him of earlier.

"But the fun thing is that Sai also has a soft spot for her." Ino told them.

"Sai?" Chouji said, munching on some chips and looking at Ino's sad face continuing:

"I thought that you had a thing for him…"

"I did. But he told me that he wanted some advice on asking Sakura on a date." Ino answered.

"So our dear Sakura has a difficult decision to make." Tenten exclaimed.

"Ano, ehm, yes. Tenten-san you have right." Hinata mumbled poking her index fingers together. (A/N: her trade mark, yey!)

"Well, that's that. So Kiba truth or dare?" Naruto said.

"Dare…" Kiba answered.

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"Please be gentle I've never done this before." His dark voice was heard. Neji spun around and saw Iruka with his Byakugan. He was at a room in the back of another bar, at a table. It looked really suspicious.

"He's in there." Neji pointed and Kakashi unveiled his Sharingan and they started their, quoting Gai, dynamic entry. And the saw….

_Earlier_

Iruka had never palyed pool before the cues and being distracted by a beautiful woman made it even worse. All he wanted to do was finishing this game and find his friends again. Heck even Gai and Lee would do, not that she wasn't nice though, she had tried to get his attention all afternoon. And now she had it. Well he could think of better things to do than hunt that woman around all night.

Enter Kakashi and Neji, who looked simply dumbfounded.

Kakashi stormed in with Neji close after, to see Iruka playing pool…

"What are you guy's doing here?" Iruka asked.

"Maa, we could ask you the same, Iruka-kun." Kakashi smirked.

"Our responsible school teacher goes MIA at a bar?" Neji also smirked.

"Eh, gomen. Kakashi-kun, Neji-san." Iruka started to apologize.

"It's alright, 'Ruka, but remember what you said about Anko to me, I have one right back at you." Kakashi said covering his Sharingan eye.

"What? Who?" Iruka said as they left the bar without the woman that was already clinging to another man in the bar.

Kakashi made his visible eye quirk like a horse shoe.

"Yes…" Iruka answered.

"I'm not telling." Kakashi exclaimed.

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Sakura and Gaara were out walking the streets of Suna, after Gaara worked up the courage to ask her on the walk. And it did take a lot of courage.

"So Sakura, what do you do now in Konoha?" Gaara asked.

"I work at the hospital as head chief of surgery, but it isn't as exiting as doing research at the lab." Sakura answered.

"Wow, I didn't know that you had so much responsibility." The Kazekage answered.

"Well… I did study for Tsunade-sama." She answered shyly.

"You must have a real fanclub of men and boys at home." He joked.

"Actually the only ones I want are the ones I can't have. You know what I mean?" She explained.

"I can't say I do." Gaara got curious.

"Well, first there was Sauske, I-have-to-kill-my-brother. And then there was Sai, I-haven't-any-will-of-my-own. After that I really thought I was in love, and Izumo turned out to be gay." Sakura explained.

"Izumo, isn't that one of Tsunade's desk-ninjas?" Gaara asked.

"Well yes."

"And who is the lucky guy?"

"Kotetsu…."

"The other desk nin?"

"Yes… isn't he like 15 years older than us?" Gaara wondered.

"12 years." Sakura mumbled.

"Well what do I know? I haven't trusted anyone that much to even consider falling in love." Gaara blushed.

"You've never been in love?" Sakura was shocked.

"No, I never let myself feel anything else than anger, 'til I met you guys." Gaara looked down on the ground.

"You met us? What do you mean?" Sakura was as clueless as Naruto.

"Well Naruto did change me quite a bit…" he started.

"So you mean you have never gone on a date? Kissed someone? Held someone's hand?" She was so shocked, the Kazekage hadn't done anything. Even she was more experienced than him.

Gaara shook his head;

"I've never done anything."

"But you will, some day." Sakura tried to encourage him.

"Yeah, right… that's really encouraging Sakura-chan." Gaara sighed.

"But it is. I wouldn't have come so far without Ino's constant yapping about 'the one' and 'some day' you know." Sakura answered.

'**Poof' **

Three men from Konoha ANBU landed in front of the Kazekage. All three had porcelain masks of different animal faces.

"Greetings Kazekage-sama." The oldest and tallest of the three greeted.

"Congratulations on your birthday." A young raven haired man said bowing down.

"Hi there Sakura-san" another raven haired man said with a sweet voice.

Sakura had jumped when the poof came and was in the protective arms of Gaara, the Kazekage of the hidden village of Sand.

"Gomen Gaara-sama…" she apologized.

"It's okay Sakura." He answered and turned to the men undoing their masks.

"So what brings you here ANBU-san? State your business." Gaara turned to the oldest of them.

"Yamato-taicho, (Sp?) Sai-san, Sauske-kun!" Sakura felt like she wanted to cry, her former captain and team mates and she got scared, some ninja she was.

"We're here to report to the Hokage, then joining the festivity." Yamato answered the Kazekage and they got the location of Temari's house so they could report to Tsunade.

"Sakura-san, do you have a minute before we go?" Sai wondered.

"Yes, Sai-san. I'll be right back Gaara-sama." She told both men.

Sakura and Sai walked away for a bit and Gaara was left with Yamato and Sauske who was his quiet self.

'I wonder what Sai wants with Sakura, and why are they taking so long?' Gaara thought.

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Yamato- taicho – Captain Yamato -hope I'm spelling it right.

A/N:

**Okey, end of this chapter**.

So who ends up with Sakura:

Sabak no Gaara

Sai

Rock Lee

Uchiha Sauske

Or someone else? Any suggestions?

-Remember: NejixTenten NaturoxHinata AsumaxKurenai GenmaxShizune


	9. the Question

So this is chapter nine.

I still don't own Naruto.

Enjoy!

Thank you to the reviewers.

**

* * *

**

**Chapter 9: the Question.**

Sai took Sakura's hand in his own as they walked around the corner of a street in Suna.

"Sakura…" he began weekly.

"Yes?" she answered him politely.

"I have something to tell you." He continued.

"…" Sakura waited.

"Well I seem to have fallen in love with you. You make me get this strange yet pleasant

feeling every time I am around you." He spoke up.

"I don't know what to say, Sai. But I'll think about it? Do you want the answer now?" she questioned.

"No. You take the time you need. But tell me as soon as you can, ne?" Sai gave her a light peck on the cheek.

"I promise." Sakura answered and they began their walk back to the others.

"So Gaara-sama. What were you and Sakura doing alone here?" Sauske growled.

"Either of us had fun at our different places and I ound her on Temari's porch. Then we decided to take a walk to get away for a bit." Gaara politely answered.

"You see, we all love Sakura in our own way, that's why we are so protective of her." Yamato explained. Gaara nodded in understanding.

"Ah, Sakura, shall we get back to the house?" Gaara asked.

"Sure why not?" Sakura answered.

"Maa, Sakura, why are you out here without mine or Iruka's _protection_?" Kakashi asked as he and Iruka was walking down the street towards the young woman. Kakashi looked like a mess and the only thing that kept him from falling was the tight grip the Konoha school teacher had around his waist and Iruka had Kakashi's left arm over his shoulder as he almost dragged the other man home.

"Kakashi, I think you had one to many. So let's get you home and into bed." Sakura said as she put her left arm around Kakshi's waist and flung his right arm over her shoulder.

"Thank you Sakura" Iruka said as he was helped to drag the silver haired jounin to the house.

"I think Sakura-chan wants to take advantage of me in this state." Kakashi giggled and Sakura turned to a dark shade of red.

"Kakashi!" she groaned and continued:

"Don't you ever think about something else, anything else?"

"Why should I, this is way more fun…" he squealed (A/N: who knows what he might do in this state.) They got closer and closer to the house and Kakashi got heavier and heavier as he got sleepier by each step. Sauske, Sai, Yamato and Gaara walked behind the trio and closely watched them interact. Obviously Sakura had some kind of emotional connection to the two older men.

"Iruka-san, can you get him to bed so I can prepare." She said to the brown haired man.

"Of course. Same as usual?" he asked.

" Yes, and tomorrow I think I might kill him." Sakura joked.

"Please do that." Iruka answered as he played along.

* * *

Iruka got the tired Kakashi to bed safely, but not without Kakashi giving him a hard time and suggested some things that made the _oh_ so charming and innocent academy teacher turn crimson red. 

'Why did they have to interrupt us?' Gaara thought as he sat down in the living room area with the others. Naruto and the gang had stopped playing truth or dare and moved on to just talking like adults. Tsunade and Shizune had been their chaperones and watched the loud youngsters with Kurenai.

"Sauske-teme." Naruto squeaked.

"Dobe." Sauske answered and Sai giggled to their nicknames for each other.

"Why are you here?" Naruto confronted the raven haired young man.

"We had a mission, and our report had to go to the Hokage immediately." Sauske answered with his trade mark I'm-better-than-you-tone of voice.

"And?" Naruto was clueless as usual.

"She's sitting right over there." Sauske pointed at Tsunade and smirked.

"Ah, oh." Naruto nodded.

"I'm going to Kakashi and giving him a piece of my mind." Sakura declaired.

"Yosh!" Naruto nodded again.

"I'll join you." Sauske said and walked up to her. His former team mates was stunned.

"What? I don't want to leave Sakura alone with him in this state. He could probably do anything. I don't feel comfortable with it." He continued.

"Then come on let's go." She said and took his hand and dragged him away.

* * *

"How are you feeling Kakashi?" Sakura mocked her ex sensei. 

"Uh." Kakashi groaned and pulled up the comforter over his head in a very childish manor.

"Iruka-san you did a great job as usual." Sakura praised the blushing chuunin.

"Thank you Sakura. It's always a pleasure to help a friend." Iruka answered.

"You're such a good friend 'Ruka" Kakashi was emotional.

"I'm talking about Sakura here." Iruka sighed.

Sauske grunted, they were the same way that they had always been. Although Sakura had grow in to a beautiful woman with good qualities and she had become Konoha's top medic, even on her way to surpassing Tsunade. The perfect woman to rebuild his clan with.

Kakasi growled as his head pound much and hard.

"So Kakashi-kun how much did you drink tonight?" Sakura began her treatment.

"Dunno" Kakashi growled.

"4 bottles of sake" Iruka said and continued:

"While I was around."

"Ah, and what did our charming teacher do?" Sakura teased Iruka.

"Well, um. This girl asked me to… and I sort a followed…" Iruka stuttered.

"Did our teacher get laid?" Sakura continued to torment the crimson red chuunin.

"No" Kakashi said and started to laugh and continued while gaspng for air:

"He...played…pool"

Sakura joined in the laughter and smiled at Iruka thinking:

'He might be the most eligible bachelor in all of Konoha… No! Bad Sakura he's 12 years older than you. Besides Sai…'

Sauske watched the three of them joking and yet being so kind to each other. He had never seen Kakashi this way, so calm with his life in someone else's hands. It seemed that Kakashi trusted these two people with his life, well at least Iruka. It couldn't be…no…Not the last of the Hatake-clan? Sauske suddenly stopped and just stared.

"Alrighty 'Kashi, get some sleep now and I will check on you later." Sakura stated, looking drained, she had used quite a bit of chakra while healing Kakashi. She stumbled and prepared to hit the hard floor. But it never came, she looked up and saw two sharingan eyes staring at her questing.

"Thank you Sauske-kun. She said as he helped her to get back on her feet.

"You should be more careful Sakura-chan." He smiled, a genuine smile at the girl still in his arms.

"Ehrm. I'll stay here with 'Kashi, you two get back to the others." Iruka smiled.

"Thanks Iruka" Sauske said and led Sakura towards the door. They went out of the room, and Sakura found herself in the room across from Kakashi's. Sauske was still holding her hand and his other hand cupped her cheek .She blushed.

"Sakura." He began looking deep into her green eyes.

Sauske gently caressed Sakura's cheek with small circular movements of his thumb.

"Sauske?" Sakura said in a slightly huskier voice than usual, blushing madly.

"Yes Sakura." He answered still looking deeply in her eyes.

"What are you doing?" She had gotten a hold of herself and her voice back.

"Something that I've wanted to do for a long time." He answered and lowered his head, Sakura's heart was beating hard and fast. This was something that she wanted to do since she was nine years old or something like that.

Unconsciously she moist her lower lip, she was leaning against the door for support since her knees were giving up on her. Hi soft lips inching closer to hers.

Then it happened his lips against her lips, it was a gentle kiss. Or more like he started the kiss gently his hand still on her cheek and the other one snaked it's way around her waist. Sakura's right hand was in the nape of his neck and the left on his shoulder. The heat in the space between them escalated as Sauske deepened the kiss.

They broke apart from each other gasping for air.

"Why did you do that Sauske?" Sakura wondered as tears threatened to fall from her eyes.

She turned around opened the door and ran down the stairs, the only one noticing her crying was Hyuuga Hinata. Hinata slowly rose from her sitting position on the floor next to Naruto., she excused herself:

"Gomen, I have to get some air."

Naruto nodded in understanding and she walked the same way she saw Sakura running a short time ago, she heard a light sniffing sound.

"Sakura?" she said quietly.

"Hinata?" Sakura looked up to the beautiful woman next to her.

"Why are you crying?" Hinata bent down to Sakura that was sitting on the ground with tears flowing down her cheeks.

"Why did he do it?" she cried.

"What did he do?" Hinata made her move and sat down next to the crying woman, hugging her.

"He kissed me. Why now?" Sakura sniffled.

"Who kissed you?" Hinata asked and wiped away the tears on her friend's cheek.

"Sauske…" Sakura whispered.

"Sauske? Uchiha Sauske kissed you?" Hinata looked at the woman in front of her who was nodding.

"wow" Hinata started poking her index fingers together.

"and Sai told me he'd fallen in love with me." Sakura looked at her friend.

"Sakura…" Hinata shyly began and continued:

"Is it a bad thing that Sauske kissed you?"

Sakura sighed, the tears had stopped.

"Who do you love?" Hinata asked.

"Don't know. It has always been Sauske 'til I saw him with Orochimaru. But then we have Sai. And I think Gaara is up to something." Sakura told her friend.

* * *

Sakura dried her eyes and told Hinata to go inside and that she just needed some time to collect herself. 

The darkness had settled over Suna , there was only one star shining up in the sky. Sakura

looked up at it and felt an aura approaching.

"You don't need hide anymore Gaara-sama." Sakura said a little embarrassed.

Gaara stepped out in the light from the window.

"How much did you hear." She asked as he came closer.

"Everything." Gaara felt for her, she was indeed in a difficult position.

"ah." Sakura said and stared at the ground.

Gaara started gathering his courage and with a deep breath he got even closer to Sakura, standing behind her he gently gave her a hug and whispered:

"I will always be here for you what ever you decide."

* * *

A/N: 

So what will her decision be?

Gaara? Sai? Sauske?

Next chapter will be the last one.

Misson complete or failed?

You guess.

Reviews much appreciated.


	10. the Decition

I still don't own Naruto or the others.

Chapter 10: the Decition.

* * *

Recap: 

_Gaara started gathering his courage and with a deep breath he got even closer to Sakura, standing behind her he gently gave her a hug and whispered:_

"_I will always be here for you what ever you decide." _

* * *

Sakura leaned in to his embrace and closed her eyes. This was just what she needed. 

The cool air around them calmed her down, as well as being in Gaara's arms.

'I want to stay in this moment forever' he thought.

"What do you think the others are doing?" Sakura asked.

"Shikamaru and Temari are probably doing something, and I quote Shikamaru, Troublesome." Gaara said with the same tone of voice that Shikamaru used.

"The other ones, I have no idea." He continued.

'He is so handsome' Sakura thought with a slight shade of pink on her cheeks.

* * *

On the cold roof Shikamaru and Temari sneezed. 

"Okay, plan is on!" Temari stated.

"Yes, but where are Kankurou?" Shikamaru wondered.

"He's in place." Temari saw her brother in the end of their street. And she continued:

"Now, it's a matter of waiting."

"Can't we do something else while we are waiting?" Shikamaru suggested.

Temari snorted with a sigh:

"Pervert."

"Watching the stars come out is perverted?" Shikamaru looked at her questioning.

"Aaaw, Shikamaru, you're so romantic!" Temari exclaimed and hugged Shikamaru.

"So shall we watch the stars and Gaara at the same time?" he wondered.

"Of course." Temari leaned closer, sitting on the rooftop looking at the soon to be sleeping city of Suna with her love at her side watching her brother hugging the only woman beside herself that could melt Gaara's heart.

* * *

Gaara sneezed, Sakura turned around and watched the young Kazekage while asking: 

"Gaara-sama are you alright? You're not coming down with something are you?"

"No, I'm fine Sakura-san, really." He answered.

"I'd like to see that for myself, thank you. Now come on." She said and before he knew it he was dragged inside by Sakura.

"I'm perfectly fine Sakura." He exclaimed once again and everyone's heads turned as they went in to the living room area. Sakura looked at her sensei that sat facing Shizune. And told them:

"Gaara-sama didn't seem well recently so I'm gonna go and examine him. We'll be back in about half an hour. I'll be using the women's room."

"Ah, good work Sakura-san." Tsunade nodded.

"We wouldn't want the Kazekage going ill on us while the medics of Konoha are here right." Shizune said and looked at Gaara with her best you-are-going-to-do-it-whether-you-like-it-or-not-look, the same one she used for Tsunade and her paperwork.

"Hai, Tsunade-sama" Gaara admitted his defeat and was dragged to Sakura's room she shared with some of the other Konoha women.

* * *

Sakura carefully closed the door behind them and locked the door, and he gave her a questioning look. 

"We wouldn't like the others stomping in on your examination right?" she answered.

"You have a point." He nodded.

"Shall we get started?" she wondered and he nodded while she continued:

"Then take of your shirt."

"Hai." He put his sand container on the floor next to him and proceeded to taking of his shirt.

'Oh gosh, he is totally hot. Bad Sakura, no such thoughts you have enough on your mind, stay focused. Gaara and a probable cold.' She thought and looked at the ground instead of Gaara's well toned body and his incredible eyes. Who knew he had such a body under all of those clothes, Sakura mentally kicked herself.

Her small hands started glowing with a soothing green light of healing, she held her hands just a short distance from his back and infused some chakra to get a result of his sneezes. Gaara's body reacted to this simple but warm touch. A shiver ran down his spine and an actual smile formed on his lips, he was sitting with his back to her.

"Gomen Gaara. I have cold hands." She explained to him.

"Ah, but that's not it." Gaara answered and Sakura was dumbfounded and asked:

"What is it then?"

"Sakura… are you still in love with Uchiha-san?" Gaara asked.

"I… don't know… I love him, that I do. But more like a brother I think." She quietly answered.

Gaara didn't say anything but looked at Sakura and got up from his sitting position. He caressed her cheek gently and smiled. Her green eyes glowing with excitement, as she returned the gesture, Sakura's small hand on his warm cheek made his whole body tingle. He slowly guided her closer to him and a million different thoughts swirled in their heads

* * *

. 

Temari and Shikamaru was up on their neighbours roof now and watching through the window to see Gaara cupping Sakura's cheek. Temari almost squeaked. Mission on the roll, the waiting game was on.

* * *

Gaara was mesmerized by looking in Sakura's eyes. He charged and his cold lips landed on her warm, at first she didn't respond but when he started to pull away Sakura whimpered. And Gaara wasn't the Kazekage for nothing, he then silently demanded another kiss. Now she responded carefully at first and then grew bolder after a few seconds. 

"Success" Shikamaru gave Temari two thumbs up.

"He kissed her?" Temari asked and Shikamaru pointed at the window, she saw the two youngsters holding each other and kissing. Breaking their kiss and smiling.

Temari signed to Kankurou that fase 2 was in progress of their top secret mission.

"Sakura…" Gaara whispered with his forehead against hers.

"Gaara…" she answered equally quiet looking in his eyes.

"Stay here with me?" he asked.

"Mmh, I wish I could. But Tsunade-sama won't be happy." She answered.

"But will you be happy?" he directly asked.

"No, I want to stay, I want to be here in Suna but I can't be a medic here can I?" she was sad.

"Yes you can, stay as my medic." He whispered.

"Gaara…" tears started to fill up her eyes and he whipped them away with his thumb.

"Please stay with me and se what this road in life takes us." He was still caressing her cheek.

"I have to get an answer from the Hokage to and maybe some how I can get a long term mission here in Suna like Shika." She was thinking out loud.

"That is just a great idea love." He said and started to get dressed again, he then took her hand and entwined their fingers and continued:

"Come on now let's go talk to Tsunade-sama and tell her what we have talked about."

"Hai." She nodded and they unlocked the door, walking out of the room they heard another door close downstairs.

"We're back!" it was Temari's voice.

'So this is it.' Sakura thought, wondering what the others would say.

"Don't be afraid Sakura." He squeezed her hand reassuringly.

"Tsunade-sama, may I have a word with you." Gaara asked the blonde woman sitting next to Shizune.

"Yes Gaara-sama" Tsunade gave him her full attention.

"I want Sakura staying here in Suna." Gaara exclaimed

"Are you serious?" Tsunade looked from Gaara to Sakura back to Gaara again.

"I haven't been more serious in my life." Gaara said squeezing Sakura's hand and she smiled at him.

"I still want Sakura as a Konoha shinobi. She's my best medic next to me and Shizune." Tsunade reasoned.

"I know it's a lot to ask." Gaara said bowing his head down.

"But I think that the Suna medics would need a teacher don't you. In a non specific timeframe as the Suna academy needs Shikamaru as the teacher for the evil brats." Tsunade exclaimed.

"Tsunade-sama!" Sakura threw her arms around the older woman, she considered family.

"And with this Suna and Konoha are now stronger ally's than ever before." Gaara said and Tsunade agreed.

* * *

Then they heard Temari, Shikamaru, Kankurou and Baki, who had just arrived, discussing something vividly. Baki said: 

"Mission status?"

"Mission; Success!" Temari gave her old sensei two thumbs up and he nodded approvingly.

* * *

Sakura was staying in Suna, with Gaara. 


End file.
